Following the album's release, the Screaming Jets went to the UK where they based themselves for over two years, touring there and throughout Europe with a variety of hard rock and heavy metal bands. During a series of shows with Ugly Kid Joe, Heaney was fired and replaced for the rest of the tour by one-time Judas Priest drummer Dave Holland.
The band's next album Tear of Thought, which featured Heaney's drumming, was initially slow to gain acceptance until a cover of Boys Next Door's "Shivers" saw the Screaming Jets back in the charts. Heaney was permanently replaced in the line-up by former BB Steal drummer Craig Rosevear and after a US tour with Def Leppard Lara was replaced by Melbourne musician Jimi "The Human" Hocking, who had previously fronted his own band, Jimi Human and Spectre 7, that released an album and two singles at the turn of the decade.
While the Screaming Jets remained only moderately successful overseas, in Australia they were one of the top-drawing live bands of the early-mid 1990s and perhaps the last remaining example of the pub rock acts that had ruled the country's live scene in the late 1970s - mid 1980s. While their single releases rarely scored high on the charts, they won significant airplay on rock radio and the band's tours were wildly successful. In 1995 the Screaming Jets' self-titled album made history when it became the first CD launched via live Webcast.
By the late 90s the Screaming Jets were touring less often and had not released an album of new material since 1996. Hocking had left in 1997 to be replaced by former Judge Mercy guitarist Izzy Osmanovich and after an extensive Australian tour in 2000, Rosevear left to be replaced by Col Hatchman. Although no longer the force they had once been, the Screaming Jets could still draw large crowds and in 2001 were selected to tour with Kiss and Alice Cooper; at the end of that year the band announced an extended break from all touring and recording, playing a final series of shows.
In December 2002, the Screaming Jets did another brief tour in support of a self-financed live album that had been recorded the previous year, but then did not play live again until mid-2004. Since then have continued to record and tour, though more sporadically than during the early 1990s and have also signed a record publishing deal with Universal Records.
Mary Jane
The Screaming Jets Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What's going on behind those eyes?
There must be some way to get you out of going nowhere, but right now
you're trapped here on this broken boulevard.
Mary Jane, you're such a story, dressed in rags and stripped off glory
It's funny how the time has stopped you.
It's always in those april showers,
I see all the people, where do they go to, all the lonely people in the world?
Damn politicians, I don't know what they're thinking, but you can bet your ass,
they ain't thinking about you.
Mary Jane, you're such a story, dressed in rags and stripped off glory
It's funny how the time has stopped you, Mary Jane.
When I see you in the april showers, though you call on all your powers
you still got nowhere to run to.
Nobody loves you, Mary Jane. Mary Jane...what'll become of Mary Jane?
Mary Jane, you're such a story, dressed in rags and stripped off glory
It's funny how the time has stopped you, Mary Jane.
I see you in the april showers, I know you call on all your powers.
You still got nobody to run to.
Who's gonna love you, Mary Jane? Mary Jane...What'll recover you, Mary Jane? Mary Jane...
Somebody misses you, Mary Jane. Mary Jane...Mary Jane...
The lyrics of The Screaming Jets’ Mary Jane paint a bleak picture of a woman who is lost and abandoned by society. The singer observes Mary Jane and wonders where she goes and what she does, what goes on in her mind behind those eyes. He acknowledges that Mary Jane is stuck in limbo, trapped on a broken boulevard, and he empathizes with her predicament. The song describes Mary Jane as a tragic character, dressed in rags and robbed of her glory. She is a victim of circumstance, and despite her efforts to escape her situation, she always comes up short. The April showers serve as a metaphor for the hardships that Mary Jane faces, and there is a melancholic tone throughout the song.
The lyrics suggest that nobody loves Mary Jane, and she is alone in the world. The singer questions the motives of politicians and accuses them of neglecting Mary Jane and people like her. The lyrics convey the helplessness and despair that Mary Jane experiences daily. The song ends with a poignant refrain that repeats Mary Jane’s name, underscoring her loneliness and abandonment.
Overall, Mary Jane is a poignant portrayal of a forgotten individual, abandoned by society, and left to fend for herself. The lyrics evoke sympathy for Mary Jane and highlight the need for more empathy and compassion for people who face similar challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
I always see you and I wonder where you go to.
I see you often and I think about where you go and what you do with your time.
What's going on behind those eyes?
I wonder what thoughts and feelings you keep hidden behind your eyes.
There must be some way to get you out of going nowhere, but right now
you're trapped here on this broken boulevard.
You seem stuck in life and not moving towards anything, but maybe there's a solution to help you get on a better path.
Mary Jane, you're such a story, dressed in rags and stripped off glory
It's funny how the time has stopped you.
You, Mary Jane, have a complicated past and present, with hardships and losses that have hindered your progress in life.
It's always in those april showers,
when you've got nowhere to run to.
It seems like during the difficult times and moments of vulnerability, you may feel stuck and without options.
I see all the people, where do they go to, all the lonely people in the world?
I see a lot of people in my daily life and wonder where everyone is headed and if anyone else feels alone like you might.
Damn politicians, I don't know what they're thinking, but you can bet your ass,
they ain't thinking about you.
Politicians are frustratingly non-transparent, and it's unclear if they prioritize the needs and concerns of individuals like you.
When I see you in the april showers, though you call on all your powers
you still got nowhere to run to.
During the difficult moments when things seem overwhelming, it may feel like there's nothing you can do to escape your situation.
Nobody loves you, Mary Jane.
It's possible that you feel unloved or forgotten by others in your life.
Who's gonna love you, Mary Jane? Mary Jane...What'll become of Mary Jane?
It's unclear who will show you love and how your future will pan out, Mary Jane.
Somebody misses you, Mary Jane. Mary Jane...
Despite the difficult circumstances, there's at least one person who cares about you and wants you to know they miss you.
Contributed by Christopher G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Earthy Irwin
on Better
Great work Grant Walmsley